For owners of recreational aquatic facilities, such as pools, spas, and hot tubs, water chemistry must be properly maintained to deflect the hazards associated with water not properly balanced. If the chemistry of a pool is even slightly off, for instance, a serious health hazard can be posed to users. Also, water that is not properly balanced can result in a quick deterioration of an aquatic facility, resulting in expensive rehabilitation costs.
Presently, water chemistry can be checked by chemistry kits, laboratory runs, and maintenance service calls. Although chemistry kits are typically less expensive than maintenance service calls, most chemistry kits are messy, complicated, and are not user-friendly. Even if one knows how to properly use a chemistry kit, that individual may be uncertain of the results, thereby necessitating a double check of the water chemistry through a laboratory run such as to a swimming pool supply store.
A laboratory run requires the taking of a sample of water for a chemistry laboratory to analyze. Traveling to and from a laboratory with the sample during normal business hours is inconvenient. Further the result is obtained after a significant lag time has elapsed. Moreover, the analysis of water chemistry and an evaluation of the amount of additives to remedy any perceived imbalance is a function of water temperature. It is almost certain that the temperature of the sample will change in transit to the laboratory. Furthermore, once the results are received from a laboratory, water chemistry may have changed and as a consequence, one may be relying on an inaccurate water chemistry reading. For those who use chemistry kits and laboratory runs, both options also do not address the problem of physically adding chemicals to the water, which equate to an added inconvenience of releasing messy chemicals, without much assurance that the correct amount of chemicals are being released at the proper time. Overall, chemistry kits, laboratory runs, and adding chemicals on a do-it-yourself basis can be inaccurate, labor-intensive and time-consuming.
In contrast, maintenance service calls are expensive and inconvenient. Although service calls are typically conducted at regular intervals, sometimes maintenance service personnel are unavailable when their services are most needed, such as after a rain storm or before a pool party. Also, some maintenance service personnel are unreliable and/or careless in their methodology, forcing one to double check water chemistry by using a chemistry kit or a laboratory run. Finally, such service calls can be conducted by a variety of maintenance personnel, thereby increasing the likelihood of human error in monitoring and balancing water chemistry.
In our copending, co-owned patent application Ser. No. 11/165,478, filed Jun. 22, 2005 and entitled “IN-SITU WATER ANALYSIS METHOD AND SYSTEM, an electronic water monitoring and reporting system is disclosed. The system operates and performs the function for which it was intended. Because the system is intended to operate at least partially immersed in a body of water away from the electronic circuit to prevent damage. It is possible to place the engine unit into a water proof housing such as commonly used for other proof electronic devices. Periodically the housing must be opened to replace the battery. Each time the housing is re-closed special care is taken to ensure the seal is correctly formed. Failure to form an adequate seal in damage to the circuit. Also, failure to fully dry the unit prior to opening can allow water that remained on the outside of the housing or the user's hands to enter the housing and cause immediate or eventual damage to the circuit.
Electronic devices for water immersion are known. One example of such a device are radios. The electronic circuits and the battery system are contained within a single waterproof enclosure. When the batteries are required to be changed, the electronic circuit is exposed to the ambient and potentially to water. As is generally recognized, exposing electronic circuits will typically cause short circuits and can result in failure of the electronic circuit to operate and can further cause permanent damage.
What is needed is an immersible system for monitoring water chemistry which is battery operated. What is further needed is an immersible system for monitoring water chemistry which includes means to replace batteries without exposing the electronic circuitry to water or the ambient.
What is needed is a safe, convenient, user-friendly automated system for monitoring water chemistry.
What is needed is an efficient, time-sensitive automated system for both monitoring water chemistry and adding necessary chemicals to balance the water.
What is needed is a reliable automated method for monitoring water chemistry.
What is needed is a secure, dependable automated method for both monitoring water chemistry and adding appropriate chemicals to maintain the balance of a body of water.